Humidifier.



J. E. BUTCHER.

HUMIDIFIER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. I916.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

exactly the desired rate.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

JOHN E. DUTCHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HERBERT A.

- DURR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. a

I HUMIDIFIER;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application filed May 22, 1916. Serial No. 99,1 77.

humidifier intended for use in connection with heating devices, such as radiators, registers, and the like. The humidifier is intended for the purpose of supplying moisture to a desired point, so that the same will be readily evaporated into the atmosphere.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a construction of very slmple form 1 which may be attached to any of the well known constructions of radiator, so as to make the lnvention of very easy and convenient application. However, the features One of the objects of the invention is to so construct the humidifier that a comparatively large amount of moisture may be stored or retained within a container from which it will be automatically fed or delivered at exactly the proper rate according to the rate of evaporation. In this way a humidifier will be provided of suflicient capacity to deliver the moisture for a considerable period of time. In one mode of application of this feature of the invention I provide an inverted water container from which the water is delivered under control of an inverted weir.

Another feature ofthe present invention has to do with the provision of means for supplying moisture to'the heating device at In carrying into effect this feature of the invention according to one mode of application of the features of the invention, I make useof a wick or the like which serves by means of capillary attraction to deliver the moisture from the container to the desired point.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the a which con ists in the featu s of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. 1

.Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 shows one form of humidifier embodying the features of my invention attached to the end coil of a radiator of familiar construction. That is to say, this figure shows one embodiment of the invention attached to a particular form of heating device;-

-Fig. 2 shows a horizontal plan view of the bracket with its attachment to the radiator coil; and

Fig. 3 shows a vertical fragmentary section through the lower portion of the jar, cap, and wick.

In the drawing, the humidifier is shown, for purposes of illustration, as being attached to. the end coil of a radiator, and, furthermore, the humidifier is therein shown as being provided with a wick for feeding the moisture from the interior of the container. I have previously explained, however, that the features of the invention can be used equally as well in humidifiers whether the same be associated with radiators or not, and whether or not the same be I provided with wicks ,for the purpose of feeding the moisture by capillary attraction.

Theradiator coil illustrated in the figures comprises the arms 4: and 5 which are separated by the vertical opening 6 in the manner well understood in'the art.

The container illustrated in the several figures is inverted, and a cheap and convenient form of such container is an inverted Mason jar of' familiar construction. In order to permit of the delivery of the moisture fromsaid jar, an inverted weir is provided, so thatthe water can feed downwardly from the jar only when the water level on the outside falls below the elevation prescribed by said weir. A convenient method of forming this weir consists in expanding a portion of the flange of the jar cover 10 so as to provide a protruding lip or the like 11 at one side. The water from the interior of the container feeds into said protruding portion, but the delivery of water from the interior of the container is only at the rate demanded according to the evaporation of the water from the lip 11.

The water contained within the lip 11 will be evaporated into the atmosphere at a rate dependent upon the relative humidity the particular embodiment illustrated in the drawings I have provided a bracket 12 for supporting the water container. Said bracket is conveniently formed for attachment to a radiator coil, and is also so constructed as to secure a. maxinnnn heating effect on the water so as to secure a maximum rate of evaporation. Therefore, I have illustrated the bracket 12 as having a substantially horizontal leg 13 and a vvertical upstanding wall. 14:- The leg 13 does not lie in an exactly horizontal position, but, as shown particularly in Fig. 1, it slants downwardly toward the radiator coil. The wall 1& is preferably of segmental formation, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to hold the container firmly in position and to prevent the same from falling away from the bracket.

When the container is set in position, as shown in Fig. 1, its outer corner 15 will seat down into contact with the horizontal leg of the bracket, so that there will be a tendency for the container to tilt over into contact with the heating element. Thus, the weight of the container and its contents will carry the container into close contact with the heating element. This feature of the invention consists in so forming the lower portion of the bracket that the point of support for the container will be outside of the center of gravity thereof, so that there will be a tendency for the container to tilt over into contact with the heating element.

The bracket illustrated is conveniently supported from the radiator coil in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This method of support consists in providing a vertical lug 16 on the bracket adapted to receive a bolt or the like 17 which extends through the opening 6 of the radiator coil, the nut 18 of the bolt bearing against a short washer plate or the like 19.

Referring to Fig. 3, a wire band 20 will be observed, the same being seated around the periphery of the lower portion of the closure 10. This wire band is preferably of spring wire and serves a double function, one function being to prevent the closure or cover 10 from being threaded tightly against the periphery of the container 9. This will insure a passageway through which the water within the container will be fed into the pro:

jecting portion 11.

With the construction as thus far described, a very satisfactory evaporating action will be secured, so that a very considerable amount of moisture will be evaporated into the atmosphere. However, I have disclosed means for securing a. considerable augmentation or increase in the rate of evaporation, so that in those cases where it is desired to increase the rate of evaporation such result can be secured, This increase I am enabled to secure by the use of a wick or the like, drawing its water from the con tainer and supplying the same to the heating element, or at any rate to a point where the water will be rapidly evaporated. The said wick serves to increase the rate of evzqooration by providing a very largemoist surface having a considerable area exposed to the atmosphere, all of said area being kept in moist condition by the supply of water by capillary attraction. A convenient method of carrying into effect this feature of the invention consists in immersing one end of the wick in the water contained within the protruding portion 11, and bringing another portion of the wick into contact with the heating element.

Referring again to the several figures, the wick is designated by the numeral '7. It will be seen that its lower portion projects down into the protruding lip 11, and the end portion 8 of the wick may even be carried over to the interior of the water container. The wire band 20 may be conveniently used for retaining the lower portion of the wick in proper position within the closure 10, and said wire band will also serve when so used to properly position the wick Within the closure or cover before the container 9 is threaded into the cover.

hen the maximum amount of evaporating action is to be secured, the exposed portion of the wick may be laid directly in contact with the heating element. In many cases, however, it is unnecessary for the wick to directly contact the heating element, and in such cases it is sufiicient merely to bring the wick into a position where it will be subjected to the desired heating action; However, in the particular arrangement illustrated, I have shown the wick as lying against the coil of the radiator, the wick being held in such position by means of the container 9. When the bracket is so constructed that the container tends to tilt over against the radiator coil, the wick will be compressed against said coil, and thus a maximum amount of evaporating effect will be secured.

Where in the specification and claims I use the term wick, I contemplate the use of any suitable porous, spongy, or fibrous material having the property of transmit ting water by capillary attraction, or the like. For example, I contemplate, by the use of this term, porous tiles, asbestos fiber, and any other material suitable for the purpose.

While I have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, still it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the said embodiment except as I may do so in the claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with the end coil of a radiator, of a bracket secured thereto, said bracket having a floor sloping upwardly and away from the surface of the radiator coil, a water pan, an inverted water container having its lower end introduced into the pan, that portion of the pan lying adjacent to the radiator coil being of suitable contour to provide a clearance betl'ween the lower portion of the container and the pan, a wick having its exposed upper portion introduced let/con the radiator coil and the nut r cimtain r and having its lower portion entered through said clearance and into direct coninninication with the interior of the lower portion of the container, and a suitable connection between the pan and the container, the pan resting on the floor of the bracket with a single point of contact farther removed from the radiator coil in a horizontal direction than the center of gravity of the container and pan and contents, whereby the weight of the container and pan and contents tends to tilt the same toward the radiator coil, and thereby compress the exposed portion of the wick against the radiator coil.

The combination with a radiator coil, of a bracket secured thereto, and having an outwardly extending supporting arm, a water pan carried by said arm, an inverted water container having its lower portion introduced into the pan, the periphery of the pan being of suitable contour to provide a clearance adjacent to the radiator coil between said periphery and the lower portion of the container, a wick having its exposed portion lying between the radiator coil and the water container, and having its .lower portion introduced through said clearance and in direct connnunication with the interior of the lower portion of the water container, a suitable connection between the pan and water container, and a point of support for the water pan on the outwardly extending arm of the bracket,

said point of support being farther removed from the radiator coil in a horizontal direction than the center of gravity of the water container and pan and contents, whereby the weight of the water container and pan and contents tends to cause said parts to move toward the radiator coil and thereby compress the exposed portion of the wick against the coil.

3. The combination with a radiator coil, of a water pan in close proximity thereto, an inverted water container having its lower portion introduced into the pan, the periphery of the pan adjacent to the radiator coil being suitably formed to provide a clearance between said periphery and the lower portion of the water container, a wick having its exposed portion between the radiator coil and the water container and having its lower portion extended through said clearance and into direct communication with the interior of the lower portion of the container, and means for supporting the pan with the center of gravity of the water container and pan and contents closer tothe radiator coil measured in a horizontal direction than said support, whereby the weight of the water container and pan and contents tends to move said parts toward the radiator coil to thereby compress the wick against the radiator coil.

4. The combination with a radiator coil, of an inverted Mason jar and closure having a protruding lip in one portion of the said closure, said protruding lip serving to provide a clearance between said portion of the closure and the adjacent portion of the jar, a wick having an exposed portion lying between the jar and the radiator coil, and having its lower portion extended through said clearance and into direct communication with the interior of the lower portion of the jar, and means for supporting the Mason jar with its closure and contents at a point of support farther removed from the radiator coil in a horizontal direction than the center of gravity of the said parts, whereby the'weight of said parts tends -to move the Mason jar toward the radiator coil to thereby compress the exposed portion of the wick against the radiator coil.

JOHN E. DUTCHER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BANNING, Jr., FRANCES M. Fnos'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

